In a bid to encourage residents of all ages to safely enjoy Kingston’s roads and LTNs on two wheels, Kingston Cycling Campaign organised our first ever family-friendly bike ride on Sunday 4 June, to coincide with World Bicycle Day (3 June) and the start of Bike Week. 

With the weather Gods on our side, over 200 participants of all ages – accompanied by nearly 30 ride assistants who generously volunteered their time – set off from Fairfield Park on our first ride designed with all ages and abilities in mind.

What a brilliant event this was! Gave me the nudge I needed to get back on the bike after many years. (Councillor Susan Skipwith)

We counted a wide range of bikes taking part, from at least three cargo bikes and a few e-bikes to Dutch-style bikes and Bromptons, plus several local councillors, one MP (Sarah Olney), a few kids on stabilisers, and even one dog amongst the group.

Having made our way towards the river, up through Surbiton, down via Berrylands, and back to Fairfield on a sunshine-filled 4.5-mile loop, it was great to see so many riders inspired to keep up on pedalling for the final 3-mile circuit. Those intrepid riders went on to explore the Albert Road and Lower Ham Road LTNs as they headed to Latchmere Recreation Ground, and back via the new Kingston Station bridge as we returned to Fairfield. You can see the full route on https://www.plotaroute.com/route/2186208.

I loved being able to ride with my friends – it was so much fun!

The 7.5-mile route even took us past the premises of our two local partners – Full Cycle Community Bike Project and Kingston Hive – who supported our gentle ride through the borough!

What the ride demonstrated most of all is that there’s a local appetite for more family-friendly rides. So, on Sunday 10 September we’ll be setting off again on our second easy-paced outing, this time meeting in Kingston Road Recreation Ground in Norbiton so we can showcase the park’s new facilities and introduce Kingston residents to even more cycle-friendly routes. We’re busy incorporating rider feedback as we finalise our next route, and will continue to add more info to http://tiny.cc/KingstonFunRide2.

Enjoyed the family friendly bike ride – discovered some quiet roads I didn’t know, and what a great turn out!

For many riders, it was the first time they’d joined a group ride. And many participants commented on how the route introduced them to new areas and quiet roads on their doorstep that they’d never explored before – exactly what we’d been hoping to achieve!

We hope the event will help inspire more local residents to join London Cycling Campaign (of which we’re the local group) and benefit from cycle insurance, bike shop discounts, legal advice and more. And, of course, if you’re keen to join one of our longer rides for more experienced cyclists, you can read more about the different style of rides Kingston Cycling Campaign offers on https://kingstoncycling.org.uk/rides-2/rides-calendar/.

Happy cycling!